Xiangqi is a two-player Chinese board game originated from military strategies in the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Periods, by which time there had been official documents about the game. The early-stage xiangqi was composed of three components: chess pieces, dice and board. The pieces were carved out of ivory, with each player having six pieces; before starting a game, the two players would play dice; and the board was a square chess board. After a long period of development, the modern form of xiangqi appeared in the Northern Song Dynasty and caught on in the Southern Song Dynasty.
Currently, Chinese xiangqi has been introduced to the whole world, giving a boost to the effort to carry on and develop traditional Chinese culture. |
